Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Yes you *can* put together a delicious feast for fourteen people without stressing! We had a big family dinner here tonight and once again I was gone practically all day bringing Felix home from school. This menu is mostly do-ahead and can't-go-wrong. And the quantities will feed a lot of hungry teenagers.

1. For the meat, I laid two good-sized pork loins in my roasting pan early in the day, squeezed the juice of two limes over them, and dosed them liberally with Cajun seasoning (or any favorite spice mix). These need about three hours in a low over (300 or so). So plan accordingly.

2. The potatoes can be fixed at any time of day and reheated for dinner. Peel and slice about 5 pounds, chop an onion, mince two garlic cloves, and put all into a pot with two cups each of milk and cream and a small palmful of salt. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, then dump into a large pan and bake at 500 for about 20 minutes. Let rest before serving.

3. Slaw: Use two bags of slaw from the produce section, and slice a few radishes, a cucumber, and a red pepper to add. Dress with this: 1/4 cup vinegar or lime juice, 2 T. grainy mustard, a lot of grated ginger, 1/3 c. oil, 2 t. sesame oil, and a bunch of chopped peanuts. Toss it all together, and cover in the fridge for however long until you need it.

4. Just before dinner, or even early in the day, saute your squash or zucchini by slicing thin, putting in a skillet with about 2 T. olive oil and salt and pepper, and cooking covered over a high heat, shaking occasionally. Best when served immediately, but if you're busy no reason you can't do it early and reheat gently.

13 comments:

You make it all so accessible, and I appreciate that so much. As someone who received *zero* domestic training in my childhood and teenage years, and then spent my 20s getting a masters & JD & working, and now stay home with a toddler & a house to keep & husband to care for, I need hand-holding and guidance coupled with my own common sense.

It seems to me that the real key to it all is thinking/planning ahead. In the past, I relied on restaurants as an "out" for those nights when my planning didn't happen or my creativity failed me at the last minute. But this year I resolved to do things differently and so every two weeks I have made menus, shopped accordingly, and I have fed my family at home week after week even on busy soccer, dance, piano evenings. Of course, the beauty and creativity with which you pull things off is extraordinary...thanks for sharing it with us!

The slaw sounds luscious! I would love to have dinner at your house- so elegant and relaxing at the same time! Looking forward to *after* Thanksgiving here, it's School House Chicken Soup done with turkey! Have a wonderful holiday with your family, Anna!

Anna, do you mean regular pork loin, or the tenderloin? I'm at the point where the tenderloin is the only pork I'll buy, because it's juicy and tender, whereas any other cut is always dry, even the regular loin. What am I doing wrong, or are we just fussy???

I love this post! I love hearing how other people cook. Your menu is delicious, balanced and perfectly do-able. My alteration would be to chunk the squash, roast it with olive oil & salt in the oven, and then serve it room temperature later. I roast lots of vegetables like that now.

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Photography is an important part of life at my house. Photos that appear here are taken by Giles, by the Composer, and by me. Giles is a real, paid photographer, and he uses a Sony Alpha. Most of the photography prior to September 2008 is his. Since then I have done most of the shooting and I use a Konica Minolta. Additionally, the Composer offers me nice shots on occasion, often from his little Canon point and shoot. I've given up trying to note who's done what. Thanks for your interest!